Ok Google : The complete list of voice commands

“OK google” is Google’s voice command, a tool that allows you to request actions and formulate voice searches from a smartphone or a connected device (speaker, TV, …).

Arriving on the French market since the summer of 2017, the application takes into account your personal information and your geolocation in real time.

Often used on the move to get directions, get weather information, news, search or create reminders, “Ok Google” commands can actually do much more.

For whom?

This application is for anyone who uses a smartphone under Android or iPhone (but application to download)

How much is it?

Free from your Android or iPhone smartphone (but you need to download the application)

How do you do it?

The activation of the voice command “Ok Google” is very simple. Here are the steps to follow:

• Go to the settings of the Google application on the side panel
• Choose the voice option
• Choose “Ok Google”.
• Check the option from any screen
• Say “Ok Google” three times and it’s done.

To avoid problems as much as possible, you should also make sure that all applications used by Google Assistant are up to date: Google Play Music (free and premium), Spotify (free and premium), Deezer (free and premium), Google Calendar, YouTube, Netflix, Google Photos, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Radio France, RTL and Europe 1, Uber…

Here is an overview of the main features of the most useful commands.

The actions

• Launch the application xxx
• Call xxx
• Send an email/text to xxx
• Turn on/off the flashlight
• Enable/disable Wi-Fi/Bluetooth
• Put my phone in airplane mode
• Take a picture/selfie
• Add xxx to my shopping list / show me my shopping list

Start your day with a bang

“Hello!”

Thanks to this word spoken in the morning, Google Assistant tells you the current time, the weather forecast and the news of the day before launching the daily flash of France Info (or other selected media) to fill up with news.

Manage your day effectively

• Sets the timer to xxx minutes
• Wake me up at xxx time
• Call me back from … at xxx time
• Give me the program of my day
• What time is my first appointment tomorrow?
• How long does it take to get home/to work?
• Remember that my PIN code is… / What is my PIN code?

Use multimedia quickly

• Watch xxx on Netflix
• Listen to artist music on Google Play Music/Spotify
• Put on some music (that moves)
• Search xxx on YouTube
• Show pictures of a place
• Set such radio (works with TuneIn)

Get information briefly

• Give me the info
• What is the weather like today?
• What time is it in town?
• What is the distance between…?
• What is the height of…?
• What is the capital of…?
• What is the ranking of L1?
• How do you say xxx in language?
• What does xxxmean?
• How much is xxx euros in dollars?

Find practical information around you

• Where is the nearest pharmacy?
• What is his phone number?
• What time does it close?

Make everyday life easier at home

• Turn on/off the lights (with compatible connected bulbs)
• Stop the Chromecast
• Turns the TV on/off
• Broadcast/shout out/speak to all/announce message*
• Launch music on device name

*Thisrequest works when several compatible speakers are connected on the same network, but also from a smartphone to a speaker in the house.

But also to have fun…

“Come on! You speak Ch’ti? What noise does the cow make? Have you ever been to the North Pole? But where are you? Wow! How old are you? What is your favorite fruit? Are we on first-name terms? Will you marry me?

This list is of course not exhaustive but Google Assistant is evolving day by day to better adapt to the needs of Internet users.

Benefits

● A valuable aid for people with disabilities

When it comes to assisting people with certain disabilities (such as the visually impaired and blind). On the other hand, it can exclude others, such as deaf or mute people.

● Translating voice assistants

Another very useful feature for those who are not multilingual: the voice assistant translators. Instant translation is already widely used in written form by customer services.

Limits

• The big losers of this innovation could well be spelling and language learning.
• Fun and practical, “Ok Google” is evolving towards more services that will become paid.
• Concern that your privacy is being monitored.
• A certain dehumanization in the fact of automatically addressing a machine.
• Individualization: asking a virtual assistant for help instead of asking a person.

Conclusion

As a tool to simplify daily and professional life, aimed at the largest number of people, “Ok google” has become, in the space of a few years, an undeniable digital progress which can, like all the advances of the web, contain facilities, limits or dangers. Get your own opinion by experiencing it!